The Kevin Sheehan Show - Biggest Wash-NYG Game in Years

Episode Date: December 2, 2022

Kevin with a preview of the biggest Washington-NY Giants game in many years. He's got his keys to the game and a prediction. Bram Weinstein jumped on with his thoughts on Sunday's showdown. Kevin had six "Smell Test" picks and his friend Joe Yasharoff was a guest at the end of the show to talk about Sunday's Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame inductees which include Steve Francis and Tim Kurkjian.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it. But you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Cheehan Show. Here's Kevin. I'm going to start the show with an apology. Coolie's not going to be on the show today. He's sick.

And he extends his apologies as well. I know he's probably listening, so I hope you feel better. He came back from that trip that I was telling you about the other night. And I talked to his wife today, and she said he's been in bed since Wednesday night. He is not well. She said he's going to be fine. But hopefully we'll have him back next week. So that's that.

Bram Weinstein will be on the show. We will have Bram, the play-by-play voice of the Washington commanders on the show in a little bit. Joe Yashiroff, who's a good friend of mine and has been in sports media for a long time. Now is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland at the Merrill School of Journalism, one of the best journalism schools in America. Joe is on the board of the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame, and their 22 classes being inducted on Sunday. Tim Kirchen is part of that.

Steve Francis, part of that. Joe will jump on with me at the very end of the show and tell you about that Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame class, and he'll weigh in on Skins Giants as well. I've got a smell test coming up in the next segment, We start with really primarily here in the opening segment, Washington at New York Sunday, and really what I believe to be the biggest late-season, regular season matchup between these two teams in 36 years. You know, I racked my brain trying to think of a game this deep into the season between these two teams that has meant more.

And obviously, they're going to play again in two weeks. You've got a seven and four team. We've got a surging 7 and 5 team. These next two games are massive. Dan Dugan, who writes for the athletic, covers the Giants, calls this Daniel Jones' biggest game of his career on Sunday. He's 4-1, by the way, in five career starts against Washington. And, you know, a lot of people up in New York calling this the biggest game of Daniel Jones' career that he's. going to have to really get it done against a really solid defense. And the Giants are floundering a little

bit. They've lost three of four. And after that great start to the season, you know, here they are on the verge of being overtaken by Washington. And who knows who else? You know, they have to win. This game is much more of kind of a must win for the Giants than it is Washington in many ways. And I know the Giants have a better record at 7 and 4. But if they lose, now they're in last place at 7 and 5, Washington jumps to 8 and 5, and they've dropped 4 or 5, and the prospects of it improving with the Eagles next week and then traveling to D.C. to play Washington aren't that great. I think this is a bigger game for New York on Sunday than it is for Washington, but it's a massive game for both teams. And I think you've got to go back to December

of 1986 to find a late-season, regular season game between these two teams that has had as much on the line. Now, the 1986 game is, I think, a standalone. You know, that particular season was the Giants year. You know, they had never won the Super Bowl up until that point. They had been, had become really good under Bill Parcells. They had lost the previous year in the divisional round of the 85 Bears, but they had clubbed the 49ers in the postseason in 85. And they came back as one of those teams that people really thought had a chance to win the Super Bowl. And Washington, of was one of those teams as well. Washington, though, was the hunted at that point, you know, in the NFC's. The 49ers, the Bears, and the Redskins were the three teams that had dominated, you know,

the 80s. You know, when you go to the, you know, the 49er Super Bowl, followed by the Washington Super Bowl, followed by Washington being in the Super Bowl, but losing, followed by a 49er Super Bowl win, followed by the Bears in 85. And then in 86, it became the Giants' turn. But they had to get through the Redskins. And they had to get through the Redskins. And they had to be a lot of beaten the Redskins earlier in the season on Monday night football. The interesting note on this particular game, the first matchup in 86 between the two teams, is that the game was opposite Game 7 of the World Series between the Mets and the Red Sox. That was the Buckner series. And that game six happened on a Saturday night. Game 7 was scheduled for Sunday night, but it was

rained out, pushed a Monday night. So the New York area had, Redskins on Monday night football and had Mets Red Sox game seven. Of course, in this city, the Washington Giants game dominated. And the Redskins lost that game 27 to 20. Joe Morris had a huge game and had a late fourth quarter touchdown run. He went for 181 yards in that game. And the Giants won at 2720. And then it was a countdown to the rematch.

You know, Washington got to 11 and 2, you know, that season with Jay Schrader at quarterback. They had a couple of memorable games. They beat the Vikings in overtime on a hitch to Gary Clark, who ran it in for a touchdown. 4438 was the final score. That was the game following the Giants game. Washington didn't lose again. They won five in a row setting up this Titanic matchup at RFK, late. in the season between the Giants and the skins for really what would turn out to be the

NFC East title and the number one seed in the NFC playoffs. Now, the Giants winning it pretty much cinched the NFC East. There were still two weeks left after the season. Washington needed to win it. They'd go up one on the Giants and then they still had a couple games left that they had to win. But it was a massive, massive matchup. And I think I've played this for you before. Probably at some point, you know, many years ago when the Redskins and Giants had a somewhat big game. But this is what it sounded like on December 7th, a day that will live in infamy, but not 1941. 1986, the Giants visiting RFK Stadium for what was the NFL, not the NFC, not the NFC East, the NFL's game of the year. This was the open on 16th.

CBS with the great Pat Summerall narrating it. The Washington Redskins' offensive line is one of football's best, but today their reputation will be challenged by Lawrence Taylor and a fired-up New York defense. The Giants are confidently riding the crest of a six-game winning streak. And with the right calls from Phil Sims, they hope to roll a seven today. The Giants also face some stiff challenges today. First, their defense must contain Washington's fleet receivers like Gary Clark.

And their unharrowded pass blockers will have to contend with Dexter Manley, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Manley relishes the spotlight. And today it shines brightly in the season's biggest game. Joe Morris ran the Giants to victory in their first meeting, but today's rematch is at RFK City where the skins are hard to beat and where tickets are impossible to find.

I don't know about you, and I'm not saying all of you, but I know some of you probably get the same feeling that I get listening to that. It's a hair on the back of the neck moment to hear Pat Summerall's voice and the buildup to a game like that.

This was not unusual for the skins, the giants, the cowboys, the Eagles, the 49ers, the Rams, the bears, etc. I mean, Washington being a part of these heavyweight, Titanic NFL matchups was a given every year. It was just, you know, who was going to be the opponent, and when was the game going to take place. And it was clearly a long time ago, and I understand that. I know that occasionally I spend too much time on the nostalgia. But today it was appropriate to think back to that game. A game that the Giants owned start to finish.

24 to 14, they won the game. Washington had seven turnovers. Jay Schrader threw six picks in the game. Yes, six interceptions he threw in that football game. LT had three sacks, the greatest defensive player of my football watching life. Lawrence Taylor, in what was at that moment, the biggest game of his life came up with three sacks in the game. Yeah, it was quite the dominant performance. 24 to 14 was the final score, but it was 24 to 7 and the Redskins scored late to make it 24.14. And the Giants, of course,

would go on in 86 to finish 14 and 2. They rolled the 49ers in the divisional round. Washington had to play a wild card game against the Rams. They won that game, and then they beat the Bears at Soldier Field. Doug Flutie was in at quarterback for Jim McMahon, and then Washington and the Giants in an NFC championship game. And it was the only NFC championship game that Joe Gibbs lost, was that 17-0-0 game in the Meadowlands. But anyway, enough of memory lane.

What about Sunday? This is a massive game. big game for both teams. Maybe a little bit bigger for the Giants, but I don't think Washington's approaching it that way. It's not like they're saying, hey, if we don't win that game, we get the home game in two weeks. No, they're looking, and they should be looking,

to bury the Giants. You know, the next two games for Washington could basically, for all intents and purposes, clinch a playoff berth. You beat the Giants Sunday in the Meadowlands, then two weeks from Sunday back at home, You're playing for all intents and purposes, not mathematically, but practically speaking, to clinch a playoff spot. If they were nine and five after the second giant game and the Giants had at least six losses, if not seven,

the Giants would be done as far as Washington's concerned, and then it would be about Seattle for them. Washington would be in, though, unless Detroit makes a big push and you end up in a tiebreaker with them. But look, Vegas expects Washington to win these two games. I kind of expect them to win these two games. They're the better team right now. They are. Now, the Giants are going to be healthy, and I'm going to get to my keys to a win over the Giants here in a moment.

The Giants could be much healthier than they've been. And Washington already ruled out for Sundays, Benjamin St. Juice, Dax Milne, and Trey Turner. You know, Gibson and Chase Young, think are going to be game time decisions, but the Giants could be getting healthier for Sunday. That could be a big part of Sunday's game. But bottom line is Vegas thinks Washington's 5 to 5 and a half points better than the Giants on a neutral field. I think they are too. Big opportunity on Sunday. So let me get to it. Let me get to the keys to a win over the Giants.

I watched a lot of the giant cowboy and the giant Detroit games. And to me, you know, this is going to be fairly obvious a lot of it, but there's some detail behind it. Washington will beat New York if, number one, they run the ball against a bad run defense, an aggressive defense, and you can see that with New York with Wink Martindale as their defensive coordinator, but they're not a good run defense. The Giants have given up massive yards in recent weeks. Dallas ran it against them. Detroit did it the week before. Houston the week before that. You know, the guy Damien Pierce that had eight yards against Washington had 94 and 17 carries against the Giants. Like last week, I think this has a chance to be a big offensive day, maybe a breakout kind of offensive day. Again, I thought that last week, you know, it was a low possession game, understood, but I think they can produce a lot more offensively against the Giants.

You can run it against New York. They're 26th ranked in rush defense. They're 30th in the league, and yards given up per carry. They give up 5.2 yards per rush attempt. And this is what we know Washington wants to do. They should be able to do it. You know, I think some of the stuff that they got off of play action, especially in those first two drives where I thought, you know,

Taylor looked pretty sharp. Terry, you know, was the recipient of that first and 10 play action, 26-yard play, which was the biggest play of the game for Washington offensively. I think a lot of that can work, but it'll all work off their ability to run the football. You know, running the ball is their ticket right now. I loved the job the offensive line did last week, creating more push and more paths for the running backs, especially, you know, Robinson Jr. You know, I love the stuff that Scott Turner is doing in terms of the motion pre-snap.

And I could be wrong on this, but after watching, you know, that Atlanta game back and then watching the Giants as well, but watching the Atlanta game back, I really think Washington's running between the tackles with more of a power game. There was some counter in there, and we know that there is some of the jet sweep stuff going on. But a lot of the Brian Robinson stuff wasn't zone stuff. You know, it was power stuff. It was that duo that Cooley's always talked about. You know, they're blocking vertically. They're not blocking horizontally for run level, for zone runs.

And I think that this is what they're becoming identity-wise. Doc always wants an identity. Smash-mouth is his preference. You're getting that from this offensive line. This is what this offensive line actually can do. They can run block. And it looks like you might have Sam Cosmy at Guard, you know, with Cornelius Lucas, who has struggled and passed pro,

but he's been pretty damn good as a run-blocker. You get Cosmy in there for Trey Turner. And, you know, I think that they can really overpower the Giants. The Giants have some good defensive players. Dexter Lawrence obviously is very good. We'll see if they get O'Jolari back. That would be big for them. But I think, you know, this really offensively, they have an identity. They want to run the football. And, you know, looking at last week, they want to run it down your throat. You know, they don't want to trick you. Yeah, there's some jet sweep and there's a lot of pre-snap motion, but that's really more to confuse the defense. They're

running right at them. So I think they can run the football Sunday. That's number one. They've got to be able to run the football. Number two, cliche, I know, but this is what this team is right now. You know, old style formula. They've got to stop the run. The Giants are sixth in the league in rush offense.

You know, last week Washington faced the third ranked rush offense, and it didn't hold up well for the first time in a long time. This week they face a team that will be able to run the ball or will certainly try to run the ball if they're healthy. And as far as that's concerned, let me just tell you that Saquan Barkley in the last two games against the Giants and against the Cowboys and the Lions, 26 carries 61 yards.

But that's because they've been missing a big part of their offensive line. They're starting center, Evan Neal, the rookie, that they drafted, that maybe Washington would have drafted. They may be getting a lot of these guys back. And if they're healthier Sunday along the offensive line, then maybe Saquan Barkley is revived here after two games in which their rush offense was dead. You know, this is, again, the sixth ranked rush offense in the league, and yet they've had some real struggles here the last two weeks. They've got a quarterback in Daniel Jones, who is dual threat. You know, I don't think he's as good as Marriota in the Reed Option game, but Daniel Jones has had some great games against Washington.

They will face some Reed Option. Basin designed runs, maybe even more so after they watched Atlanta last week, be very successful with the read option, be very successful, by the way, with their zone runs, outside zone in particular against Washington. Jones, by the way, has 451 yards rushing and 36 rushes this year for first downs. We'll see whether or not the Giants can run it. I go back to Saturday's podcast before the Atlanta game when I had Logan Paulson on. And a lot of you, reached out to me to say, man, he really nailed it. And I talked about it on Monday. He said before the Atlanta game, Atlanta's the team that can run it against Washington. They're the ones that

can do it with their offensive line, with their run scheme, with their dual threat quarterback. He didn't think that the Giants or San Francisco or Dallas or Cleveland, he doesn't think they can. So we'll see if they can stop the Giants from running the football, even with their offensive line back if they're back and healthy. And they can force Daniel Jones to throw it. It's going to be a good day defensively. Who does he throw it to? Darius Slayton, Richie James. They lost the guy Wondell Robinson a few weeks ago. He did spread it around against Dallas, threw it to nine different receivers. You know, it's interesting to watch how they throw the football. I mean, he is out of the pocket a lot. He's on the move a lot. You know, there is a lot of

bootleg, you know, quarterback keeper bootleg. And there's, you know, a lot of throws at the line of scrimmage. There are screens to Barclay. There's a lot of bootleg to the tight end in motion or the receiver in motion to the same side where he's coming back on the bootleg. Washington's got a lot to deal with with a quarterback who is very mobile and is going to throw more outside the pocket than in it, although they will take shots on early down situations. But they don't want to throw it a lot. You know, they had to the last two games. He has 79 pass attempts in the last two games, both of them losses. Their last win, albeit against Houston, he was 13 of 17. The Giants want to be what Washington is. They want a massive run-to-pass ratio and then have their quarterback

because they're running the football be super efficient on fewer pass attempts. We'll see if they're capable of doing it. I think if Washington stops the run, it's lights out games. game over unless they, you know, unless they do it to themselves offensively with turnovers. Number three, they've got to cover the short stuff and tackle well. The Giants are going to try to get a lot of yards after catch with some, you know, some throws near the line of scrimmage with some of those bootlegs to receivers, screens to Barclay, you know, tunnels, et cetera. They just have to cover and then tackle well. And Washington's been a good tackling team. Obviously, you can't, you know, you can't, you can't,

have self-inflicted damage. You can't have a lot of turnovers. Look, quarterbacks throw picks in this league. The pick at the end of the first half last week was a bad one. I agree, but it was one pick. I thought for the most part, you take that pick out. As I said, you know, it's probably another B-minus B performance. He's doing what they're telling him to do. But you can't, you know, against a team on the road. And this is, you know, really from when you look at the games they have played here on their way to six and one. The road games were at Chicago, at Indy with Sam Ailinger. At Philly was obviously the big one and at Houston.

This is a big game. I'd actually like to see the Meadowlands kind of pumped up and juiced like the old days. It would be kind of cool to go in there and have Washington play well and win a game in front of a real hostile environment. I don't know how they're treating the Giants this year. It's unexpected, and now maybe with three losses in the last four, maybe people think they're coming back to life. But I would expect a really good crowd. Good weather expected for the game,

but you cannot, you cannot end up with multiple turnovers, penalties, and self-inflicted wounds. This is another, you know, as long as you don't beat yourself, you're going to be in it with a chance to win it. You know, they did that against the Falcons for the most part. They did it certainly against the Eagles. They won the turnover battle big. four to two ultimately, but really it was three to two.

Plus they got the benefit of a missed face mask call, which turned out to be a huge call in the game. But this just feels like a game in which as long as you don't give it to them, then you're going to have a chance to win it because it'll be a tight, close football game. I've got one last key to the game. I just think that both teams have kickers with big legs, and both teams, you know, recently aren't able to finish off dry.

And so I think it's going to be a big kicking game for Graham Ganoe, the Giants kicker. We're familiar with him. And with Joey Sly, the NFC special teams player of the month. Look, they don't beat Philadelphia without Joey Sly kicking 58 and 55-yard field goals in that game. This feels like a game that could come down to, you know, a couple of 50-plus yard attempts. And, you know, the guy that makes them versus the guy that might miss one, you know, that team wins. other loses. I like Washington to win the game, 23 to 20. 23 to 20. I think it's a back and forth game. I think offensively, Washington has the ability to put up 23 points this week. I think they can do

that. Look, they had 26 against Philadelphia, you know, and yeah, there were turnovers in the game, but most of those turnovers took points off the board for Philadelphia as they were threatening. So I say 26 because of the last play of the game where they're pitching it around trying to do something with it and Casey Two Hill scored, right? I think it was two Hill. 2320 Washington to get to 8 and 5 in a big time feel of a game. It's been a while, really. I mean, 2020, look, pandemic, fans not there. You know, it's 5 and 9, 6 and 9, 7 and 9 record ultimately.

You got a chance to get to three games above 500. all right through 13 weeks of the season and then you get a buy week to get rested for the rematch huge opportunity for Washington i think they win the game 23 to 20 i really do anyway uh oh one other thing uh real quickly uh i wanted to mention i am interested if chase young is available how he will be used i think we've all come to the conclusion that 2022 is just a lost year for chase young and you know we've talked about whether or not they really need them. I was thinking about something with respect to the NFC. Right now, the two most influential players when we get to the playoffs could ultimately be Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons. You know, without great quarterback play in the postseason

in the NFC, you know, elite quarterback play, we've seen how disruptive Parsons and Bosa have been. I'm not giving up on Chase Young having some kind of role where he could be, if he is healthy and as athletic and explosive, a specialty third down pass rusher, where he could really wreak some havoc opposite Montez Sweat with pain and Allen in between. I wonder if they're thinking about that. Like, you know, Philadelphia is struggling a little bit on defense right now to stop the run. the Cowboys have a massive difference maker on defense, so do the 49ers. Okay, those two players are literally players that can win games in the postseason. Chase Young, when you go back to the end of 2020, and I remember who they were playing, all right, five sacks over the last, I think, seven games, four, three forced fumbles,

four fumble returns, like he was getting his hands on the ball and trying to score, you know, and if he has that kind of burst in that athletic, meaning back to 100% health. Maybe the role is third down, you know, Dwight Freeman, like turn them loose. I don't want to give up on the possibility of 99 being a part of this playoff run and then a part of the postseason when you are going to have some quarterbacks that, you know, you can get after a little bit and disrupt because that's how the 49ers and the Cowboys are going to. get to a Super Bowl out of the NFC. Ultimately, you know, it's going to be, you know, you can envision it right now. Parsons having a three-sack, a Lawrence Taylor kind of a game, a three-sack, you know,

forced fumble in a big spot that leads to a touchdown kind of a game. You know, I'm not saying Montez Sweat isn't capable of that, or that Allen and Payne aren't capable of that. But I wonder if they have that thought with Chase Young. And we'll see they're calling him a game-time decision. Gibson's also questionable. and then Trey Turner, St. Juice, and Milne, if I didn't say it earlier, all three of those players are out for Sunday.

All right. I'll get to the smell test. Also, we'll talk briefly about the big hoops game tonight in College Park. Get to both of those things right after these words from a few of our sponsors. Kevin looks where the John Q Public is putting their cash and does the opposite. It's time for the smell test. All right, this smell test is brought to you by, my good friends at My Booky. By the way, tomorrow morning, you can bet USA Netherlands in the knockout stage.

If you want to bet the U.S. to win the game, they're plus 320. The Netherlands are minus 105 at My Bookie, and betting on a draw is plus 234. Now, I was informed that a draw is the end of 90 minutes being, you know, being tied. You don't have to take it through both overtimes into penalty kicks. As long as they're tied after 90 minutes, that's considered a draw. The over-under for the game, two and a half goals. Man, I think I'd bet the under in a lot of these games. As far as your football Sunday, and there's some big games this Sunday, Washington right now on my bookie, minus two and a half. The total is 40 and a half. And as far as the two biggest games, I think, of the day, which are in Washington's

one of the big games of the day, no doubt. Miami, San Francisco, the 49ers are four-point favorites at my bookie. And then the KC Cincinnati game, the chiefs are two-point favorites at Cincinnati in that late CBS window double-header game. Man, the 49er Miami game, I'd love to watch Start to Finish. That's, you know, you're going to need the ticket on that one. or just catch it on the red zone. All right, smell test. 9, 5, and 1 last week. I'm now eight games above 500.

There were a couple of games that were painful last week. Georgia, after only leading 10 to 7 at halftime against Georgia Tech and Lang 36, and I had them, they had the ball up 37 to 7 and were driving late and they fumbled. I mean, I had a chance to go from 10-7, Lang 36. at halftime with no chance to a 44 to 7 final. But they fumbled and then Georgia Tech went down the field and scored for a 37-14 final. And then the Houston, I gave out Houston last week, if you recall. And I said, you're going to have to hold your nose on that one because we just saw how

bad they were. And they were getting 14 against the dolphins. And they were down 30 to nothing at halftime. And I saw some of the tweets on Monday that you guys sent me at halftime of that game. Look, I gave you a 9-5 in one weekend. Houston came back. They had the ball twice down 30 to 15 with a chance for a backdoor cover. Didn't get it done.

Those were two games that I would have loved to have gotten both of those because some of you were like, why are you laying 36? Pick these other games. I mean, recovering 36 is hard. I'm like, yeah, but it's a lot of points. And people are actually playing Georgia Tech. And then the Houston thing, you guys openly mocked me. And as it turns out, you're right.

MyBooky.ag promo code Kevin, D.C. They'll match your first deposit, dollar for dollar, all the way up to a thousand bucks. Even if you've got a place, as I've mentioned before, go to My Bookie and use them. All right. Eight winning weeks in the last 10 after last week's nine, five, and one. You know, the two non-winning weeks, one of them was a 500 week. So, you know, doing pretty well right now over the last. two plus months. Let's see if we can do it again this weekend. Tonight, the Pact 12 championship game

is a layup as far as the smell test is concerned. The world is on Southern Cal laying two and a half. I'll take Utah by the half point and play them plus three in Vegas. Everybody saw Caleb Williams. He's going to win the Heisman trophy. Saw him beat Notre Dame. The truth is Notre Dame was much closer than people thought. They turned it over twice. USC is not good defensively. This is a revenge game for them. Their only loss of the year, 43-42 on a two-point conversion after a touchdown run by quarterback Cam Rising. Utah is well-coached. They're tough. I think they can win this game outright.

You know, I think college football would love to see USC win and be in the playoff, you know, and see USC in their first playoff since the playoff era's begun. You know, Lincoln Riley, what a job he's done. And Caleb Williams, my God, he is a cinch right now to be the number one. picking the 2024 draft, I would think. I think the guy out of Carolina, Drake May is really good, too, in terms of the quarterbacks. But this one is, you know, a system play. The public pounding SC, some sharp money on Utah. I'll take Utah plus the three. Tomorrow, Big 12 championship game, TCU laying two and a half against K State. They were down 18 earlier in the season to K State, came back and won that game. If you recall a couple of weeks ago, I gave you

Baylor plus the three against TCU. And I told you, I hope TCU wins this game by a point or two points because I'm rooting for TCU. My oldest went to TCU. He's going to be at the game in Dallas tomorrow. But K-State's the right side. The public loves TCU. I think TCU gets in even with a loss as long as it's a competitive loss. USC on the other hand is out with a loss.

but I think K-State plus the three buying a half point is the right play. I'll just tell you, I like Boise a little bit, and I like UCF a little bit. Actually, I like UCF. These are liens in terms of championship games. I would definitely lean UCF plus the three and a half against Tulane in their title game. and UCF beat them recently and then lost to Navy, by the way, the following week. I think it was the following week. But I kind of like UCF and I kind of like Boise's chances too.

I kind of like Purdue as well. But none of those games are official smell test selections. The only college games, Utah and K State. Let's go to Sunday where Denver is the biggest anti-public play on the board on Sunday. They're getting eight and a half at Baltimore. I know they suck. I know they're all yelling at Russell Wilson. I know Baltimore lost last week, so they got to get back on track as they are tied with Cincinnati and the AFC North.

I'm just telling you that Denver plus eight and a half is the side that you're bookie, whether legal or illegal, will need on Sunday. I'll take the Broncos plus the eight and a half. I'll take Jacksonville for a second straight week. They're getting a short number at Detroit. I like the Lions as a team. I really do. But the public seems to think the Lions are going to roll Jacksonville after Jacksonville had that touchdown and two-point convey. version to beat the Ravens last week. I'll take Jacksonville plus the one on the road against the

Lions. For the second straight week, I'm going to go against the Vikings. It didn't work on Thanksgiving night, but I like the Jets plus three at Minnesota. The Jets are one of the two or three best defensive teams in the league. I don't know what Mike White is. I know he had a really good game last week. But look, Minnesota's issue is defense. I mean, you saw it last night. You know, Mack Jones threw for 382 yards against the Vikings on Thanksgiving night. 382. And then you saw last night against a good defensive team, Mac Jones couldn't do anything. So I just think that the Minnesota defense is ultimately going to be their undoing. I think their offense is getting better. And I thought Kirk had one of his best games as a Viking last Thursday night in the win over an excellent defensive team.

I think this is a tight game, but I think the Jets have a chance to win it. Look, the Patriots had a chance to win in Minnesota. It wasn't that far-fetched. I think the Jets are really good on defense, and I think they will have a big day offensively against a defense that is reeling right now in Minnesota. That's their biggest weakness. Look, I think Minnesota is going to be a playoff team. I think the 49ers, the Cowboys, and the Eagles are all better. And I think Washington would have a chance at Minnesota in a wild card weekend. game. So give me the Jets in that one plus the three. And then in one of the biggest games of the day, the public's backing Miami plus the three and a half at San Francisco. I'll buy the half point and take the Niners minus the three. So there you go. That's the smell test. Utah plus three, Kansas State plus three, the Broncos, the Jets, the Jags, and the 49ers on Sunday. I did want to mention I'll be at the Maryland game tonight. I'm so excited for Kevin Willard's team to try to get off to a 1-0 Big 10 start 8-0 overall. Their two-point favorites against Illinois tonight. You know, I saw Gravis Vasquez, who's one of my all-time favorite players,

I saw him tweet out on Thursday, I think it was, yesterday or Wednesday. Maryland basketball is finally back. You know, there's been a lot of, and I know you guys know where I'm going with this. Let me just say, I'm a big Kevin Willard fan, and I really like him, and Maryland fans, you're going to love them. And I love the pace of play. I love the way they're playing. It is only December 2nd, but I really love what he's done.

And recruiting-wise, he's killing it. They've got a top-10 class coming in next year. And I love Gravis Vasquez. But Jalen Brantley, who was a backup on that team, on one of Turgeon's team, excuse me, you know, basically responded, you know, no offense, but we were the Big Ten champs three years ago. A few years before that, we were 20 and two and ranked two in the country. I think that, you know, like with everything in our lives, it's like the truth will do, like just slow down, okay? You went to the tournament six out of seven years, you know, if you

count the pandemic here as a Big Ten champion, and their best team didn't have a chance to play in the tournament. You were three years ago, basically to the night you played Illinois in a gold rush game at a lit Xfinity Center. Cowan had a big three late in the game and free throws after a steal as the number three team in America to get to 10 and 0. That was just three years ago. You know, five years ago, you were 20 and two and ranked two or three in the country. I like Mark Turgeon was an outstanding basketball coach. I know that and basketball people know that. Okay, and at the same time, program was getting a little stale.

There wasn't enough March success. And I had no problem with whether, you know, if they were going to move on from him after last year. And I didn't love the fact that he left, you know, in the middle of a season. I didn't. All these things I've said before. But come on, Maryland basketball is finally back? I mean, as much as we, you know, the Gary Williams era is the era of Maryland basketball, Final fours, national championship, et cetera.

A bad year was a sweet 16 year. You know, they were multiple seasons they were ranked in the top five under Turgeon. Multiple years they started off 7 and 0, 8 and 0, 10 and 0, 20 and 2. So I would just slow the role on the anti-turgeon stuff and focus on what is actually really great, which is Kevin Willard, the style of play. I love that, the excitement that is back in the program, and if that's what Gravis meant, fine. But I think a lot of people have been piling on as if they stunk during his tenure. No, they didn't. They were really good. They just didn't have the March success. And that's true. And because of it, things got a little stale. And yeah,

I complained a lot about the pace of play as well. I would have preferred you know, trying to score 90 points, which is what Willard's team is doing. I'm looking forward to tonight. I'll have more on that, obviously, on Monday, but Monday's show will be mostly a recap of Washington Giants. Let's see what Bram Weinstein thinks about the game and about the team. He'll join me next right after these words from a few of our sponsors. All right, let's bring on Bram Weinstein, of course.

The voice of the Washington commanders, amazingly in year three already, because I had Jackson on the radio show the other day after he filled in for you last week. I know you had COVID. You feeling all right? Yeah, I feel fine. I mean, it was hard to, I've been spending two and a half years, like, hiding in my basement to avoid that from happening. And then I flew to Texas and came back with it. Have you really been trying to avoid it for two years, for real?

Oh, my God. Well, like, you know, I'm an introvert to start with. So, you know, the whole, like, the pandemic from the get-go was never hard for me. It was like, oh, stay home and not go see a bunch of people. Okay, got it. Like, no problem. So I was totally fine with all the mandates for a while there. And then things have opened up, you know, assimilating again into humanity.

And eventually, you know, I'm a COVID-Burgent. So I was a good host for whatever strain was going around and it found me. And fortunately, like, it was really mild. I had, it was no big deal. I had no idea because of the group that we used to all spend time with, all of us at 980. Sali was the straight weirdo. And I love Sali, but Sali, you know, basically I don't think ever was in a place other than at work or at home. He's the all-time weirdo introvert.

Again, love him. And Sallie's incredibly bright. He's a friend of mine. But Sallie basically lived, you know, a life by him. himself for the most part. Actually, his girlfriend, too. But they didn't get out a lot. Well, here's where we're different, like, significantly. Because I think you're comparing me to him. And let me see. When we were working together in the early 2000, you know, I would go into 980, and he would be there in his spot, and he's wearing his white, dark blue sweatshirt

and then I went to ESPN, and I came back eight years later. And I walked into the 980 again, and he's sitting in the same spot wearing the exact same set of clothes. Yes. And I just never thinking like, well, that's not me. That's not me. I know I'm a shy introvert. I can clearly socialize with people. I just choose not too very often.

So the whole COVID thing for me was not that hard. Like, for me, I don't have a really, I never really have had like a big, vibrant social life. Like, I'm very into work. I'm not like scared of people. I could totally talk to people. I'm not suggesting that you are. Not to do a lot of it. That's all.

You know what you just reminded me of? So last week, you know, the anniversary, 15 years anniversary of Sean Taylor's passing. And you and I were working together. And we were co-hosting the pregame show together. And I went looking. I have that show somewhere. I actually, it's the only thing I say from that week, which was just a crazy week. And, you know, we were, you and I had both left 980 and we were with Red Zebra at sort of the beginning.

You know, you doing the show with Larry, me doing it with Rigo. And then you and I co-hosted the pregame show. I did the post game show with Jake. I mean, it was, we were doing lots of different things. But you and I co-hosted the pregame show from that Sunday against Buffalo. the few days after Sean's passing. And about two years ago, for whatever reason, I found it and I played that pregame show. And it was really the first, actually, the open to it and our first segment, which we did together.

It was a very surreal day. Anyway, the reason in thinking about 980 is last week I went to try to look for that because I was going to play it on my radio show and maybe on the podcast as well. to play that because I remembered it being incredibly memorable and sort of surreal and just the whole scene of that day following that week. And I couldn't find it. We moved a year and a half ago. And I think it was in some bin that may have been lost or could be buried somewhere in my attic. But I want to, if I find that, I'm going to send that to you because you and I did that together. And it was an incredible day. Incredible day.

Yeah, that was a really That was a crazy week I'd love to hear it if you find it That was a really crazy week I remember doing a show with Larry that week too And we both started crying on the air At the end the show early Like we couldn't can handle it

Like the amount of grief That was in the building Like was Like something I've never experienced It was just so shocking And so horrible And there's so much You know

It's funny like I saw the You know Maryland Terrapins tweeting out because it's got a big game tonight, and they're tweeting out gold rush, and they're tweeting out gold jerseys of Len Byest. You know, and I'm like, wow. They always do that. Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, but I noticed it because of how, you know, like, what a start to Kevin Willard. It's another conversation, you know, probably for another time. But, like, I saw it. I noticed it and, like, in what you're saying, I'm like, wow, like, those are the two things in my lifetime growing up as, you know, an enormous, you know, a journalist here in Washington that I don't think I'll ever get over. and the Sean Taylor thing is everybody always asked like what's the most memorable thing

you've ever covered. It's that for all the wrong reason, but it's by far the death of Sean Taylor and being in the building and covering it when it happened. Like, do you remember what some people were writing about it? Like when it first you know, happened in the first 24 hours and the suggestion, you know, the

suggestions of maybe he deserved it and things like that. It was really, it was like, it was a really surreal couple of days and then obviously weeks and now here we are 15 years later and you can say whatever you want about the installation. Like everybody still has this, you know, regenerative feeling about losing him and what he meant to the organization. All right. Let's get to something else kind of surreal.

What do you make of this team? I mean, this six and one run, one and four, they were on the doorstep at Chicago of falling to one and five in the season being, I mean, borderline over at that point. What's changed? and do you think they're a good team? I do. You know, I don't think they're complete by any stretch of the imagination for sure. Like, you know, I don't, you know, like I don't have, you know, I'm not disillusioned into believing that they're going to be something that they're not in the end,

but I do think that this is the step that Rivera was talking about coming into the season. And, you know, I do think there's the last couple of weeks I do feel like there's a little bit of some rabbit's foot, you know, four-leaf clover going on here. But that's okay because, you know, good teams, and I think they're a good, good team. Good teams have things go their way. And I do think it started with, you know, the injury to Wentz, the insertion of Heineke. And clearly, like, he has galvanized the locker room. Is he running out of steam as the trigger man for this offense to remain productive enough to win? We can talk about that. But I think he was the right guy at the right time, in the right

place for the locker room. I think we've seen leadership, like pure leadership, grow out of John Allen, Terry McClorin, Ron Rivera. You know, I find it really interesting that, like, the ESPN report happened on the Thursday of the Chicago game, which was the Thursday night game. Since then, they've lost once. So they have completely closed ranks. The locker room is sealed. They know they're pretty good. They know in some ways they're great, like on the defensive line.

They have extraordinary performances happening on the defensive line. And I just think, all in all, this is a very, very. good team. I was bullish about them making the playoffs because I thought the NFC would be weak, not the way it's weak. With Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Rams, all that type of stuff going upside down. I was bullish about them making the playoffs because I thought they had a very good team. It would look like a down conference year. But they've turned into becoming a very competitive team, a very clutch team, and defensively at times a dominant team. So are there any limitations on what they can do over the next month or two?

Yeah, of course. I think there is no semblance of a downfield passing game right now. That might be partially by design. They are very good at running the ball right now. They seem to be getting better at it. Brian Robinson looked his best last week that he has in his rookie season, and that is probably partially comfort of the offense, healing of a leg, you know, all sorts of things that are probably playing into this.

It's become their identity again. But when you have Terry McClure and Curtis Samuel and John Johnson, on your team. At some point, you need to have an explosive element again. And I think we all know that when push comes the shove, you can't run the ball 50 times a game, never turn it over and be a mistake away from losing by not having a mistake happen at a critical time. So that's missing to me. And there are a couple of things like defensively. I don't know how they're doing it without their leading tackler. I mean, they only have really one viable linebacker right now on this team. And, you know, Benjamin St. Se. Juice has been a revelation for them since moving back to the

outside, and it may not really rear up this week like it didn't last week, but if he's hurt-hurt, it's going to miss some time, that's going to be problematic against the 49ers or the Cowboys, if that game matters, or potentially a playoff game against a team that can score. So hopefully, you know, I haven't heard any things like that one. He's out. St. Juice's out. St. Juice is out. Trey Turner's out.

He's not this week, so I'm talking about down the road. Like, this week when they play this team who can't really throw the ball down the field, chooses not to do it very much and are pretty much inaccurate at it. Not unlike last week, I have less concern about him being out this week. But when they play the Niners in a couple weeks, he better be playing or they're going to be in trouble without someone like that. So, you know, pretty much everything you've said, I agree with. I think, you know, the intangible stuff with Taylor is real. I'm not disputing it at all. And I would never move on from him at this point. But I don't think it's unreasonable if they considered Carson if, you know,

they don't win a game and the threat to throw the ball down field is one of the reasons they don't win the game, like i.e., they get behind and they can't come back from behind. They did it Indianapolis, okay, they did that, down two scores in the fourth quarter, but they have to throw the ball and they've got to throw it from the pocket to come back and they can't do it. Tommy and I had this conversation yesterday. Again, let me preface it by saying, I'd ride with Heineke right now. I don't think he's the long-term answer. I don't think he's a bona fide franchise quarterback or starter in the league, but I'd ride with him right now because I'm not convinced that the alternative's that much better. But do you think it's an unreasonable conversation to consider

Carson once? No, not all. I agree with you on Heineke for now. And anybody who brings up next year or the year after all that stuff. I really don't care right now. If they were four and eight, I would hear you on it. But like at seven and five with so much in front of them, let's talk about this year. And this is the people they have in front of them and they're winning with them. I don't care what next year looks like yet. We could talk about that in January or February. So we're in a different space. And so here's what I see with Tiny Key. First of all, I do think it was right guy, right time for a number of reasons. One, the locker room clearly is very attached to him. they like him a lot. And I do think that that's important. I don't dismiss that at all.

Like, I think it's a big deal that they're on this guy's side. He's no diva for sure. He's one of them. He knows what his role is. He doesn't think that he's a savior. He's not acting that way. You know, so he's got a lot of qualities that are very likable. He's extremely well-liked in the locker room. There are limitations. We don't see them. But when he came in, remember, what was going on at the time? One, they hadn't really established much of a run game. Robbins. It was either hurt or just starting to come back. They don't trust Gibson to be that way in between the tackles. And their past protection was woeful. And it did not change the first couple of games he played, but his mobility allowed them to escape some of the rushes. The past rush efficiency was as bad or worse in the first

couple of games that he played, specifically against like Green Bay, and yet they won anyway, because he was able to use his legs a little bit. Things have changed, I think over the last month. The past protection is not great, but it's better. Yes, it is. And that's just, a lot of people, but it's better. But it's better in part because they're running the football, too. Yes, I agree. But, like, the pass rush rates are also a little bit different now. So things have changed and slowed down.

Like, they're not as, they're not a sieve like they were early in the season. And so I remember when Heidi Kee first came in and they won a little bit and the past rush, you know, the past rush, the past protection was still bad. I kind of landed on, I don't think they can go back to West because he's not mobile enough to handle what's in front of him. And it's not an indictment of him. It's just they can't protect him. He could save himself by moving around a little bit. I think things have changed a little bit.

And then secondarily, I'll just point this out. The last two weeks, their longest pass play is 26 yards. They're barely attempting anything downfield. They almost feel incapable right now of doing it. And some of it is I know that it's game playing and the run reliant. There's talk about personnel. Jehan's not to get no targets right now. So like that element of what should be in.

explosive part of their offense is non-existent. And I do feel like the offensive line is in a different place now to protect a little differently. So I'm not advocating making a change. And if they keep winning, they're not going to make a change. And they shouldn't. But they've got to slip up this week with a by-week coming up where they're heading towards the playoffs.

And Heineke's not as mobile as you was for whatever reason that is. And the passing game is decreased for whatever reasons they are. I think there's a very reasonable conversation about whether Carson Wentz would be the right person for the stretch run for them. Yeah. I think, you know, you nailed it in terms of, you know, the offensive lines actually improved, in part because they have become a run-dominant team and the ratio on run-to-pass is more significant, you know, a weighted run overpass. And that helps. Brian Robinson's become a key part of the team. He was not with with, Carson Wentz. Let's also say this. The defense has become a dominant defense. It was a good defense. I think it started to you, we started to see the signs even against the Eagles and the Cowboys to a certain

degree in those losses, but it has become a dominant defense during that stretch. And here's one other thing to consider too is in Logan Thomas was on radio with me this morning. And he said, he said, I said, what is it about Taylor? And he said, well, you know, he's very popular and we like him the whole thing, and that's very obvious. And I said, what else? And he said, he really knows the offense. He really knows the playbook. And we have a complicated playbook. And I said, well, was that an issue with Carson? He said, Carson's really now starting to get it. You can see it in practice. I mean, I'm paraphrasing there. So there's also that, that even though he hasn't been playing, perhaps he's grown and he's a little bit more comfortable with it. With that said,

I just don't know that it would be that much different. So I would ride. with the guy that the locker room really believes in right now. Unless it gets bad. Yes. I mean, if they keep winning, we're not going to have this conversation. Like, they're going to ride it while he's winning, but if they do slip up somewhere and they easily, for crying out loud, like, Dron Payne knocks a pass up on the three yards last week, they could easily land it in Drake London's hand.

And all of a sudden we're going, whoops, we lost 20 to 19. Like, and that's how, that's the margin for error for these guys. That's right. They're the Giants, too. Like, every game they're in of a one-score game. So that's the margin for error, and they have been fortunate. I don't want to take anything away from them. They're winning. It's hard to do.

But that's the margin for error here. And when Rivera had that really awkward press conference some weeks ago, when they said, why are the Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles doing well, and you're not? And he said quarterback. And people thought he was talking about Carson once. What he was trying to say was, we don't have a quarterback who's been here long enough to understand what we're doing. Insert Taylor Heineke, who doesn't have half the athletic ceiling that,

Wentz does, but does really know it, like really, really, really know it because of years of being around Scott Turner. It was a huge, huge plus for him. My question is, at this point, because I don't see him moving around, I don't mean running the ball. I just mean being as mobile as he is. Their big plays with him under center comes mainly off schedule with him. He's not moving around. Is it the amount of games that he's played? Is his body not feeling great? Does he need a by week really badly. What's going on here? Because the passing game has disappeared. And I know that they're a run-first team and they're relying on that in their defense. But you know they can't win big in January if they can't make a play down the field. Wence offers them that. And so that's

why I think there's a viable conversation that potentially could happen in late December. Yeah. And you know, you said, you know, as long as they keep winning, you can't have that conversation. I don't know if that's really true because context is everything. I mean, if they If they won seven to six on Sunday with a defensive touchdown and then came back two weeks later and won 10 to 9 on a pick six and a field goal off of a fumble, you know, you would be having a different conversation. But I agree with you. And the truth of the matter is, and Cooley's been on here and done film breakdown, he thought

Taylor was outstanding against the Eagles and pretty damn good against the Texans. And, you know, in terms of getting the ball out and being decisive, I'm. I'm with you. The off-schedule stuff is his strength. It's really what I loved about him the most. We haven't seen as much of that, but they haven't necessarily needed it. But they might. Kevin, he's not playing poorly. I mean, that's why we're having the conversation. Of course. He's not playing poorly. He's running the offense. But what he's right, and he's not making a ton of mistakes. And don't at me with that

interception last week. Every single quarterback makes mistakes in every single game. Like, you don't have to make an example of every single one of them as a referendum on somebody. He made a bad throw. He made a mistake. Largely, I like his decision-making. I mean, I think that's what Cooley saying. And I agree with that. I do.

But there is a point where you have to be diverse on offense. And they're not that right now. So that's why I think we can have this conversation. And I don't know where it's going to go, where it's going to land. And the ultimate, you know, the ultimate decision might be, let's just roll of high density and see how it plays out for the rest of the year. Before last week, I think I said to Chris or to Tommy, I forget. I said, I think the defense right now is the best either side of the ball, offense defense, has been in a long, long time. I don't, you know, the 2016 offense was

excellent. It really was with Kirk, with Jordan Reed, with Deshawn, with Pierre, with Chris Thompson. They didn't have much of a running game, but they could really throw the football. and it was a bad defensive team ultimately. But I think this defense is the best either side of the ball has been in a long, long time. I think it's the best defense since the Greg Williams defense of 2005, and it's probably better than that, D. What do you think? Yep, that's where I was going to lay.

And I said, the best defense, collectively they've had from Greg Williams. Yeah. And their defensive line play collectively, to me, is the best I've seen since, Butz, Dexter, man, yeah, exactly. I mean, they're just like, you know, and that's without the freakiest athlete that they have amongst the group. And, you know, we talk about him. I really have very limited expectations about what he's going to bring for the rest of the season, whether he plays or not. But Montes Sweat, John Allen is having an all pro year.

He bested his position year. Duron Payne has already broken single season highs for sacks, tackles for losses. that combination, name a better pair on the interior. Do you like they blow up play after play? Kevin, it's cartoonish what they do up front. And no one should think it's normal. It's not. Go watch any other NFL game and see how many plays those three.

And then the collection of James Smith-Williams Keechik Tewill who are in the backfield consistently, it's cartoonish what they're doing. And it's really obviously the heartbeat of the whole team. And I've been saying this for three years, I think we all agree with this. Would you use four first round picks on defensive linemen in four consecutive years? You are only going to go as far as they take you, and they're really taking them a long way this year. Alan's third in TFL's. Pain is tied for fourth, and sweat is eighth in TFLs.

And it's funny because, and I was telling Tommy this, I think, yesterday. It was never a stat that I really obsessed with, but for whatever reason I started to look at it this year, because every single player on this list, we know to be a great player, Max Crosby, Zedarias Smith, Micah Parsons, Brian Burns, Nick Bosa, Daniel Hunter, you know, Chris Jones, Miles Garrett, Aaron Donald. Like, it's the best of the best on defense. And Allen's three, pain is four, and sweat is eight. That is exactly reflective of what you said about their living in the backfield, which they are. I think it's the best front four that they've had since the heyday. And it's led them. I mean, it has led them to this six and one stretch. All right.

What is everything? I mean, considering what's happening behind of here, Kevin, they have, like, seriously, one viable linebacker playing right now. They've got safeties playing linebacker, and their corners at any point in time during the games are going to have inexperienced rookies or cast off playing prominent roles for them, and it's not hurting them. Like, think about that for a second. They're not getting taken advantage of there. That's the, front four. That's singularly, that is the front four doing what they're doing, blowing so many plays up, and covering over, what could be vulnerabilities that are behind them. I think that's true, although I actually think St. Juice, Curl, and Forrest are good players.

Maybe very good players. And Kendall Fuller's really come on. But you're like, you know what? Most teams find guys like Wild Goose and Holmes, and they try to take advantage of it. And these are not capable regularly of doing it. it. Why is that? They don't have the time, too. Well, the other part is we haven't faced one of those really good quarterbacks yet. I mean, Kirk took advantage of it in the fourth quarter a little

bit, but it took him three quarters and he got pounded throughout that game. All right, Sunday, how do you see it? So I think it's going to be lower scoring again. The more I'm watching the Giants, boy, the last couple weeks, boy, you know, they have faded pretty hard, like in the second half

against Detroit and Dallas. They've got a lot of injuries on their offensive line to get blown up, which I think is very favorable for this team. Sequin Barkley, I don't know if he's, he looks, you know, he looks great all year. I think he doesn't look like, I think season's catching up with him. You know, he's not getting the same amount of yardage. I think the defense does its part here and gives the offense a chance. I think they're going to run the ball a ton again.

And, you know, at the beginning of the week, I was just kind of like, God, they're just so overdue for a loss. But I feel like they're going to come out with a win, and I don't see the giant scoring very much on them. So something lowish scoring again, but 20 to 10, 20 to 13, something like that. Yeah, I think a key, and I talked about it in the open, I think the key is if the Giants get three-fifths of their offensive line back, which they were without on Thanksgiving, you know, if you look at Barclay's numbers have gone down significantly, it sinks up with their injuries along the offensive line. If they're healthy Sunday for the first time in a while, we might see a different giant team than the last couple of games, but that's a big event. It's a big if. Are you really scared that Jones is going to beat you down the field? You're not.

And then defensively, the Giants are extremely aggressive, which I think will be taken into account, but you can really hit them on the edges. Their linebackers are vulnerable, which means I love someone like Logan Thomas or Curtis Samuel to have a game this week. And I think with all the pressure on Scott and Ron to find Johan Dotson, I got a feeling his numbers getting called a couple times this weekend. Bram Weinstein on Twitter. at Real Bram

W. Bram has a radio show on 630 and he also of course is the play-by-play voice of the Washington commanders. Have a good call. I will talk to you soon. All right, happy holidays. Thanks. All right, let's finish up the show by bringing on as I mentioned at the beginning of the show

a really good friend of mine, one Joe Yashiroff. Joe and I worked as very young lads for Steve Buckhantz at Channel 5 and we got to know each other really well there, and Joe's done so many things was with Comcast Sportsnet and NBC Sports Washington for years. Now he's a teacher out at the Merrill Journalism School, one of the best journalism schools in the country.

He's a professor out there. He does other things as well, and he's also on the board of the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame, and they're ready to induct the class of 20. 2022 this weekend, which includes one of my favorites, Tim Kirchon, of course, Steve Francis, Rob Borgley, and others. So we'll get to that in a moment, but Joe and I, you know, talk sports all the time and Joe's into all of the teams here.

So what do you think about Sunday? And before we get to Sunday, how good do you think this team is? It's been kind of unbelievable to see three in a row. was it six of the last seven. Yeah. I don't think it's a great team. I don't think they have a great quarterback, but somehow it's working on both sides of the ball,

and they're doing enough to win games. So, I mean, you can't deny the fact that they're winning games, and so I know the fans are excited. I'm not a fan anymore as long as Danny Boy is there. Sorry, but I think it's exciting for the fans of the team. Yeah, Joe is in that category of a lot of my friends of a certain age that have just had the life sucked out of it and they're just, they're out. And, you know, we talk about this all the time.

I mean, and I've been very upfront about how less passionate I am about the team. But, you know, there is a good possibility, good chance that maybe we will get an ownership change. And if we do, what will you then say about this team? I'll be back, Kevin. It's really only about Dan Snyder. So I don't want to be the old cranky yell at the clouds guy, but as long as he's there, that's who I am. Once he's gone, I'm back.

I'm back as a fan and a supporter of the franchise. Of course, it depends on who owns the team. But yeah, I'll be back. He specifically, individually, has, as you said, sucked the life out of me. And I fear that this winning streak, while it's great for the fans, the fans that are still there, I fear that it takes attention away from Snyder.

You haven't heard his name a lot last couple of. weeks and I wonder if that's going to have an effect on him being outstead or not. I hope not. Yeah, I've had some of the similar thoughts as well. I'm going to believe it when I see it. And while, you know, this six out of seven is actually good for me personally, professionally. Right. I do, you know, like if they were to make some miraculous run, you know, what would actually happen. I don't think that's going to happen. But I do think they're. good team. I actually think they're really good on defense. And, you know, it's a... Can you imagine? Yeah. Go ahead. Can you imagine if they go on a run and win the Super Bowl? I know

that sounds crazy, but, you know, Stranger Things have happened. And Goodell, I'm sure you thought of this and probably talked about it. Snyder handing the trophy to, I'm sorry, Goodell handing the trophy to Snyder. Oh my God. I don't know if he'd hand it to him or to Tanya. That's interesting to consider because he's been so out of the picture in terms of publicly. And, you know, let's face it, over the last decade, he's been a recluse. He's not comfortable in public unless, you know, he's in front of the gaming commissioner in Maryland claiming that they finally have a quarterback. All right, what do you think of the Terps tonight? I know you're going to be there as well. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the start to Willard. I talked a little bit about in the open, Joe,

and I'll just share this with you. You know, I don't know if you saw this, but Gravis, who's one of my all-time favorites, tweeted out, Maryland basketball is back. And Jalen Brantley, who was this backup point guard on some of the Turgeon teams, you know, kind of took offense to that. And he said, we won the Big Ten in 2019. We were ranked third in the country, you know, and if you go back and if you just, you know, style of play and the program being, you know, had gotten stale and no March success, we can all agree on that. But I think like with almost everything in our world. It's like

people exaggerate to the point. They were third in the country three years ago tonight, getting ready to play Illinois. They were 10 and 0. They were 20 and 2 5 years ago and ranked 2 in the country. I mean, it's the idea that they

kind of have done what other big programs have done, like they weren't a good team at all. They went to the tournament seven out of the last eight years. You know, I didn't love that he left abruptly in the early portion of that year last year, but I also know what was going on with the athletic director, and there's a lot that, you know, one day may come out about that.

But, you know, I am excited about Willard, and I like Willard a lot. So enough for me, what do you think about this start and how pumped up are you? I am pumped up, and I agree with everything you said, especially looking back at the Turgeon era. You know, he was a good coach. A good coach, if not better than good, and people forget that. And yes, they got stale and the style of play was not great to watch. And the style of play now is exactly what people were begging for.

So the people that were begging for that got it. They moved the ball, they run, they played hard on defense. So it's been fun. They've beaten everybody by 15 points. So we're not hanging banners in early December, but it's hard not to be excited. and tonight will be a test. And I wouldn't be surprised if Maryland lost tonight because Illinois is pretty good

and they're big and they're deep. But no, I'm definitely excited. Absolutely. Yeah. And tonight, you know, for all of those people that wanted, you know, change tonight's your chance to be out there. And, you know, the reason I'm not going to games

is, I don't like the style of play and, you know, the whole thing. Well, okay, you're 7 and 0 and you're beating people by double digits and pressing the whole game. So let's say. what happens tonight. Hopefully it'll be a great crowd. All right, so tell me about the latest Hall of Fame inductee

list into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame, and what's going to happen on Sunday? Well, okay, so Sunday's 3 o'clock at the Silver Spring Civic Center, and I know that this is opposite. The commanders, I know you're asking me about that. We didn't have a choice,

unfortunately, so if you're a big commander spin, watch the first three quarters, watch the rest on your phone, and then come out to the Civic building, inducting the class. You talked about, you know, Steve Francis, Tim Kirkgian, Tim Kirkgen, Rob Bordley,

great lacrosse coach, and rugby coach. And I think you talked to one of your kids, right? Legendary coach, legendary teacher, legendary everything at Landon. But really, I mean, you know, you and I both know this area to be an incredible basketball area, but there isn't really a better area for high school lacrosse in the country.

And Landon really has been at the forefront of that with Rob Bordley over all of those years there. Yep, absolutely. And Sally Glennhouser, which probably most people haven't heard of, she was a runner at Walter Johnson. She never lost the race in her career and was a 12-time All-Met. Excuse me. How do you become a 12-time All-Met?

I think it's outdoor, indoor, and cross-country, and four times for each. I've never heard of that. So track and field was a three- Met. Track and field, it was a three-sport season? Yes. Isn't that amazing? But was it when you, I mean, I went to high school in Montgomery County at Whitman,

and track and field, I don't remember being a three-sport season. I do remember fall and spring, but I don't remember, was it? Interesting. Okay. So go ahead. We'll check the stats on that. 12-time All-Met. I've never heard of anything like that.

Well, that's what I'm told. That's what I'm told. We'll confirm on Sunday for you. I'm sure it's true. I'm not questioning it. Sally Glennhouser. Awesome. Yeah. People don't know that there were any Negro League baseball players from here, but Rockville, Clarence Pint, Israel, was a member of the Negro League World Series champion Newark Eagles from Rockville, ended up working at NIH's lab technician for years. We're honoring him, obviously, posthumously. And then Sonny Jackson, 12th time, not 12th time, 12 year major league veteran and coach for many years, two sports star at Blair. But I know Kirkson, he's amazing. I know you know him and you've talked to him. He's one of the great, beyond being a great writer and

analyst for ESPN, and he was just, he said he wasn't inducted into the Hall of Fame, but he got a lifetime achievement award basically from the Hall of Fame. So I think it's the same thing. He's one of the great storytellers of all time, and I can't wait, and I've heard all this stories, and I still can't wait to hear them on Sunday. So, um, yeah, I think, I think Francis, go ahead, go ahead. I was just going to say about, about Tim Kirchon. I think, um, he would be on my very short list of the people that I've loved having on my show as a guest over the years.

He's a phenomenal guest. He's phenomenal storyteller. He's an incredible historian. and he's also an incredibly nice person. And by the way, he was a good high school basketball player at WJ. Yeah. Yeah. And he used to play hoops with Calriffkin.

He probably still does. Cal used to have a gym in his house in Maryland, and they used to have some legendary games, apparently. And Tim's 5'5. Yeah, I know. And then Stevie Francis is going in as well. I mean, you know, he only played one year at Maryland, but what a year.

I mean, you know, we saw lend bias, you and I. So no one is lend biased, but man, that one year was a spectacular, a basketball player and a talent, as I've seen in almost to the lend bias level, I think. The Francis thing is so interesting because I remember that season, you know, it was the 98-99 year and it was just one year with him. And the buzz was, you know, it started like in the late winter spring the year before. And then over the summer, I mean, if you were following Maryland basketball and recruiting and all of that, it was kind of like what Iverson became for Georgetown as he played in some of those summer league games.

It was like, oh, my God, apparently this guy's incredible. And that season started off with them climbing, do I think two in the country? I think they were ranked two. in the country. Yeah. And they beat the hell out of UCLA. They beat Stanford in a game. And then they got beat by Kentucky.

And I remember it was a game. I don't, was that the game at Rupper? Was that the game in Jersey? I forget which one that was. I don't remember. But I do remember them playing Wake Forest in the first ACC game and being there. And Cole was unbelievable. And he had some dunks in that game that were sick.

But of course, I also remember how badly that season ended in the Sweet 16 against, by the way, Ron Artec and St. John's in a game in which, I mean, Maryland was the better team. I mean, we thought they were anyway. And Francis did not have a good game. Nobody had a good game that night. But yeah, that was incredible. He did not. That was incredible.

But anyone who wants to hang out with Steve Francis and Tim Kirkston for free on Sunday at 3 o'clock, DVR, the end of the commander's game. come on out. It's going to be fun. And guess who's MC and Kevin? You? Yeah, unfortunately. So that's the only downside of the event. No, that'll be great.

You'll be great at it. And, you know, it's convenient. It's go to mc-sh-f.org for all of the information about the event on Sunday. And who knows, maybe at halftime at like 2.15, Washington will be. be up 27 to 3. I doubt it. There you go. But maybe that'll happen. It might be the other way. The Giants might be up 273 also. You never know. Well, good luck with the event on Sunday. Thank you for having me on, Kevin. See you tonight at surf. Joe Yashiroff, everybody, a good friend. And yeah, it's going to be hard to get out to that event in the middle of an NFL Sunday.

But those events, sometimes you can only do it when you can do it. But a great incoming Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame class. All right, we are done for the day. Enjoy the football weekend. Go Terps tonight, and I'll be back on Monday.